The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-31


with not very exalted ideas Of the
mail facilities of the Gnited States
OF Colombia. The clerk in the office
was too indolent almost to take our
letters. and am positive that--uu-
less n tit OF energy struck him before
the sailing OF the next steamer
those dear epistles OF ours lie there
yet.
The railroad and canal have
brought good many Americans
here, but the town swarms with pee
pie of all nationalitics, with n large
proportion Of Jamaica negroes, Job
iects of the Queen" as someone not
inaptly called them. Aspinwall has
a look not unlike the new old towns
OF the South. The buildings are put
up with the same disregard TO APP
pearances or permanency; many OF
them have no other iounda-
ton than the solitary peg
which is set under each corner. The
colored people are tall, rawboned and
angular in face and figure. The
women dress in the most iucougru-
Gus lot OF garments, both MS 10 color
and suitability, imaginable. For in
stance, one woman wore q hot mus
lin dress aud-hot as the day was--a
deep fur cape over il; another trail.
ed a ragged, rainbow hued petticoat
over hustle that for size would
have done credit to the advance guard
OF the turnour manufacturers. We
were the observed OF all observers,
Of course, and vastly amused TO hear
one OF these women say, as we stroll
ed along: Look at them dudes"
There is no railway station proper,
only a little waiting room the ears
run along the wooden platform in
front of the stores and business
houses, for the broad street has but
one side, the waters oil the bay lap
ping over the lower edse OF il. The
conglomerate mess inside these stores
would drive a Bowory merchant wild
with envy, aud the prices would
bankrupt an ordinary purse. Enor-
nous prices were asked for the fruit
and sweets which the women carried
about in trays on their heads. One
OF our passengers paid seventy Eve
cents, American money, for a glass
OF beer and one OF soda, both vile, he
said.
-Four o'clock found us we'll on our
way 10 Panama over that celebrated
road, every tie OF which is said 70
have cost a human life. The cars
are about like the ordinary smoking
cars used in the States, except that
the windows are guiltless OF glass I;
the wooden shutters serve admirably
TO keep out the sun, but would be
small protection in case OF storm,
! fancy. The heat at Aspinwall and
across tho lsthmus was intense, but
as We were not required 10 exert our
selves, We stood IL very well. | don't
know the degree, but il seemed about
like the hottest New York weather.
As we are but six degrees above the
equator, the scenery is tropical in the
extreme. Tickets of aromatic
shrubs and wild flowers Of imaginable
color meet the eye. Here are gigantic
trees covered with orchids, mosscs
and parasitic growth OF all descrip.
tons, through which fit thousands
OF birds OF gorgeous plumagc, max
ing the whole lcaiy jungle TO seem
alive.
Here "the heavy mango droops,
the slim palm towers, aud the hi
discus CLOVIS with flowers OF fame
the whole year round. We were
shown an orchid which the people
call The Holy Ghost Plant, and
which they hold in great reverence.
The flower is white with a cup
shaped bowl, over which hovers a
dove that gives il its name. But in
this wilder ness Of color aud sweets
turks the fatal malaria, which scat.
tiers such deadly poison, whether Gu.
goudered 10 the crowded tenement
houses of filthy city or the decom.
position of rank aud vegetable sub
stances ia a hot aud humid soil. IL
was lovely TO look upon, but we had
no wish TO tarry.
The villages along the road consist
mostly Of matched cottages, occu.
ped by the railroad aud canal en-
ployes. There are a few wooden
buildings Of some pretentiOns, which
are for the use Of the suporintoud.
ents, engineers aud other officials.
All the better dwellings had hand.
some flower gardens, but the vegeta-
bic gardens we're lev aud far between.
The canal is the one absorbing topic.
Notwithstanding DE Lesscp's san.
guile talk about this modern won.
der. those on the ground do not hest.
tate 10 say this generation will not
sec It's completion. IL Is officially
slated that eight miles are CON plet.
cd at each end. We. OF course, had
no opportunity 10 verify the truth Of
this statement, but IRON the glimpses
We had along the way IL would seem
the ground had only been scratched
in divers aud sundry places, TO make
IL look as though something were be-
ing done.
We arrive at Panama at 9 O'Clock
and divide ourselves among tho nu.
mor ius carriages awaiting patronage
on the dock, and are at once driven
10 the Grand Central Hotel, for we
have time fsr a hasty dinner aud
short drive about the city before
sailing. The variety Of tongues
spoken at hspinwall was conius.
log. but at Panama wo fell into the
midst OF modern Babel. There are
fewer Americans here than ia As.
pinysll, the latter being considered
more healthiul, | believe. Panama
II a fine specimen Of an old Spanish
town; queer. quaint, fantastic aud
fascinating beyond description. The
streets are narrow and paved with
rough cobble stones, over which our
young Jehu drives Us with no sort Of
respect for our comfort We chung
70 tbs sides Of the vehicle with dos.
perate energy, murmuring under the
breath:
"Oyef tho stones
n title our bnnfat